The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-05-18
A TALK WITH BARRETT.
Ideas and Experiences of the Actor
HIanager-ssRienzi'' Success.

other morning and assembled the broad
staircase. This was Lawrence Barrett, an
actor and manager, who is as hard a worker
off the stage as on it. 1t is therefore
not surprising to fiud him attending
to his manifold concerns at Compare.
lively early hour in the morning. He
walked with his visitor through the soft
carpeted corridors in to his bright, cheer
full room looking out over Madison Square.
AS they sat and talked the hum of busy
life came through the open window along
with the scent of the opening buds and
spring blossoms from the park scarce a
stones throw away.
Naturally he referred to the success of
Mr.. Booths season under his management
1--WE shall make" he said, something
over $4,000 before the season ends, and
better than that, it will leave Mr.. Booth
stronger in health and more cheerful in
mind than he has been for some years past.
1t is q wonderful thing this, mans snatch
ing new wreath of fame when he is past
his fiftieth year. 1t has, indeed, to use a
conventional phrase, given Mr.. Booth
new lease of life, physical as well as artistic.
He has found himself surrounded by COM
pany, which is not only good one from a
stage point of view, but pleasant and
kindly one personally, and he has attached
them to himself and / think has derived
benefit from their companionship. l have
been struck, too. with the way IN which he
has borne the fatigue and annoyances of
travelling. Before be set off on his tour 1
told him that there were certain places from
which / wish he wouldn't write to me. l
felt sure that from these places he could send
me no word of satisfaction, for L knew
there were inconvenience there that no
amount of care could cause him TO do
away with. He REMEMBERED what had said,
and when he made one of the long jumps
or reached one of the disagreeable places,
he used to address me. in burlesque fashion,
as Monster 'Wretch!' etc. Finally, he
dropped this, and wrote to tell me that l
nothing to complain Of"
Mr.. Barrett, when the subject of his own
success at Niblo's was introduced, had this
to say:
"Yes, L am very pleased to say that
'Renzp is an undoubted success here,
as it has been everywhere this
season. Analysing the causes of this to
the best of my ability, can only conclude
that that part, in the first place, suits me
particularly well, and that the care aud
thoroughness with which 1 have mounted
and costumed the piece have also been APP
pIeciated by the public. The public now
know a great deal more than they did a
few years ago-not only the public of New
York, but that of cities outside. | have
had this borne in upon me during my
season of travelling through the country.
The best of everything has succeeded
everywhere, and the managers of such en-
tertainments as are thoroughly worthy
have made money. ALI the others have
suffered, some of them severely. A dollar
no longer burns hole in the pocket of
the average man. He wants nowadays
when he goes TO the theater to get the full
worth of his money, and he knows that he
can do this If he waits until the right play
or entertainment comes along. Then, too
1 hi1k the average American is getting to
be fonder of his home life, and is d long er
drawn to the theater for want of better
place to spend his evening"
The never-failing topic of the interstate
commerce bill was touched upon.
~ think the bill" said Mr.. Barrett, lis
going to exercise a potent influence upon
the theatrical profession. l am certain it
will do so if it is allowed to re-
main in force for two or three
that this influence will be without its ben
eft. In the first place, it will draw back to
the larger cities, and especially to New
York, many people who willifind their best
interests served in becoming prominent
members of good stock companies. There
are now on the road many stars both act
ors and actresses, who should never have
starred on their own account. They have
gained little fame, and have only been en-
abled to make a little money by the very
facilities afforded hitherto BIZ railroad
companies. The 6rst-cIass combinations
will continue to travel, but / think they
will do so on a difernt basis. Perhaps the
old local stock companies in the smaller
cities may never come into being again;
perhaps it is better that they never should;
but the local manager of the future will
have to be more than mere janitor, as he
is Eat present. He will in future have to
provide scenery and perhaps supernumera-
ries for the travelling companies, who can
easily afford to pay their fares, as far as
the principal members Of the com.
panies go, but are altogether de-
barred by the provisions OF the
law from taking large stock OF scenery or
a number OF small and insignificant people.
A longer stay will naturally be made in
each place, and l think the result will be
beneficial to all concerned, the public in
cluded."
A recent much-talked- of managerial COM
binatlon, which at one time it was thought
would take place in New York, was refer
red to.
81 should be sorry" said Mr.. Barrett,
ito see another actor-manager quit the
field. In the combination actor ana man.
sger, am, as you may naturally suppose,
a firm believer, and think the history of
the drama will bear me out in it. l
am convinced that the theater
should be managed from the
stage, but this does not necessarily
imply that the manager should be an act
ual actor. Both Mr.. DAILY and Mr.. Pal
mer fall within my definition of the actor
manager. They are in no sense OF the
term theatrical Spectators. They use
their own judgment as to the choice of
plays, and they both of them manage their
stages. But on the other hand, l wish
especially to deny in positive terms the
theory that an actor can not be manager.
The successful actor has another nature
side by SIDE with his artistic one, and the
very qualities which help him to hold an
audience are useful in teaching him what
that audience wants. NJ. Perrin, the
former director of the Theater Francois,
was not an actor, yet he was a great, a
very great, manager. He was an artist
himself as well as a successful business
man,
Mr.. Barrett was asked whether he has
forsaken his idea of having himself the
alter in New York
"By no means" he said. 81 have merely
been obliged to postpone the execution of
my plans for q little while; but am firmly
resolved that in the near future New York
shall have stock theater which shall be
devoted to the higher order of drama, and
which shall be conducted from broad and
liberal point of view. | have not been
working these many years without having
formed many positive opinions as to the
conduct of such theater. may be wrong